"Like Thy Neighbor" Rings True For 95% Of People, Yet 14% Have A Strong Dislike For At Least One, According To National Survey

COSTA MESA, Calif., June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Good fences may make good neighbors, but with or without them, 95 percent of us actually like our neighbors, according to a national survey by home furnishings retailer, Anna's Linens.

Of the 3,100 people surveyed nationally, an overwhelming number indicated they "like" their neighbors, and more than two-thirds (67 percent) said they consider themselves friends with those living next door.  However, 14 percent said they had a "strong dislike" for at least one neighbor. 

The Anna's Linens survey found that although we may enjoy living with our neighbors, their homes and decorating style can't compare to our own.  Nearly nine out of 10 (86 %) apartment residents and eight out of 10 house dwellers felt they had a "better" home than their immediate neighbor. 

And when it comes to interior decorating style, 82 percent of all respondents said their home decor was either "better than" or "as good as" their neighbors'.  Broken down by where they live, 42 percent of those in apartments said their home decor style was "better than" their neighbors', while only 31 percent of those living in houses said their style was superior to their neighbors'.

More than half of the respondents (56 percent) said they "liked" their neighbor's interior decorating style, with an identical percentage describing that style as "warm and friendly."  Five percent said their immediate neighbor's style was "cheap," and 17 percent said it was "lacking in taste."

For full survey data, contact [email protected].

"It's refreshing to hear that almost all of those surveyed generally like their neighbors, and it's quite understandable to hear that we prefer the look and style of our own homes in comparison," said Alan Gladstone, CEO of Anna's Linens, the home furnishings retailer he founded in 1987.

Despite the fact that an overwhelming number of us like our neighbors, nearly 40 percent of us "never" invite them over, and 31 percent "never" visit their neighbors' home.  Those living in apartments are less inclined to invite their neighbors over for a visit, the survey found, as more than one-half said they "never" extend an invitation to their neighbors, compared with 36 percent of those living in houses.

And though nearly all of those surveyed said they "like" their neighbor, three-quarters indicated a sense of insecurity when it came to mutual fondness, believing they like their closest neighbor more than that neighbor likes them.

About Anna's Linens

Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, Anna's Linens is the 14th largest retailer of home textiles and home decor items. The company was founded in 1987 by its current chairman and CEO, Alan Gladstone, and named after Alan's mother, Anna.  A family-run business with more than 2,800 employees, Anna's currently operates more than 300 stores throughout 19 states and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE Anna's Linens